Magnolia Rotary leadership applications due Nov. 1

Published 7:00 pm, Tuesday, October 25, 2005

The Magnolia Rotary Club is sponsoring three high school applicants this year. Applicants must be classified as juniors in high school to apply.

So far, based only on word-of-mouth, the club has received four applications. Magnolia Rotary Club's vice president, Doug Rush, said only a few more days to apply are left, but there is still time to be considered for the leadership training program he said totally changed his own daughter.

"My daughter went to it when she was a junior in high school about five years ago when we lived in Kansas," Rush said. "She came back with a lot of skills to help her succeed. It was exceptional."

This is the first year the local chapter of the service organization will sponsor participants in the leadership conference which was established in Texas by Rotary District 5910 in 1991.

Since the program's inception, more than 1,200 students from more than 50 different Texas high schools have graduated from the program.

This school year, the Magnolia Rotary Club is hoping to send one student from the Alpha Academy, an alternative high school run by the Magnolia Independent School District, as well as two other junior high students from public, private or home school environments.

"We wanted to make sure we sent at least one student from the Alpha Academy because our Rotary Club meets at Alpha," Rush said. "We have sort of adopted that campus which is geared to students at risk of dropping out of high school. It is a wonderful school."

Of the four applications received so far, Rush said half were submitted from Alpha Academy students. Rush is hoping more students will turn in last minute applications to the leadership program.

"It is really a wonderful program that will teach them so much," he said.

After Nov. 1, the local Rotary Club chapter's selection committee will choose three students to send to leadership conference based on their hobbies and extra curricular interests, awards and honors received, and on the individual expectations the students have of the leadership conference.

"It is really a simple application to fill out," Rush said. "I think even with the looming deadline, they would have plenty of time to fill it out."

Those selected through the application process will attend the leadership conference in Woodlake, Texas, Jan. 6 through 8.

There is no cost for the three students selected to attend the conference. Those not selected to attend the conference for free may still be able to attend if they can provide their own transportation and conference funding. Rush said costs amount to about $160.

"If we can pull our club members together, we would like to help as much as we can, send more students to the conference," Rush said. "This is our first time to participate in the leadership program and we are still a new Rotary Club with limited funds. We would at least like to sponsor more kids, they just may have to contribute to their attendance expenses."

Interested candidates can get more information on the Rotary Youth Leadership conference on the Internet at www.cjbaxtergroup.com/ryla/rylahome.html. Rush said applications may be downloaded on the site.

Those interested in applying may also contact Rush at 281-356-6038, ext. 238.